Holder for a paint pail and applicator

ABSTRACT

A circular clamp disposed to encircle a paint pail adjacent its upper end and having a support rod extending radially outwardly from the clamp to support the clamp from a horizontal portion of a ladder, such as a ladder rung, and outwardly of one side of the ladder. A paint applicator holder engages a brush or similar applicator above the clamp to support the brush over a pail held by the clamp, and a brush wiping element is mounted on the support rod to be positioned within the confines of the clamp. A hook and a saddle element are removably secured to the support rod for engagement with a ladder rung and, when removed from the support rod, enable the support rod to be inserted into the interior of a tubular rung.

Swalinltavich, Jr.

[ 1 HOLDER FOR A PAINT PAIL AND APPLICATOR [76] Inventor: Joseph E. Swalinkavich, Jr., 3440 Kyle Ave. North, Robbinsdale, Minn. 55422 [22] Filed: May 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 359,508

[52] US. Cl. 248/210, 248/313 [51] Int. Cl B4411 3/14 [58] Field of Search 248/210, 211, 103, 313,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,909 2/1918 Kroshaug 248/210 2,243,799 5/1941 Glosier 248/211 2,277,738 3/1942 Wilkinson... 248/313 X 2,458,329 l/1949 Archer 248/313 X 3,051,428 8/1962 Schult 248/311 X 3,154,282 10/1964 Monson 248/211 3,458,165 7/1969 Crow 248/210 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 23,937 10/1911 Great Britain 248/316 D [451 cc. at, 1974 Primary Examiner1ames T. McCall Assistant ExaminerRobert W. Gibson, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Merchant, Gould, Smith & Edell 5 7] ABSTRACT A circular clamp disposed to encircle a paint pail adjacent its upper end and having a support rod extending radially outwardly from the clamp to support the clamp from a horizontal portion of a ladder, such as a ladder rung, and outwardly of one side of the ladder. A paint applicator holder engages a brush or similar applicator above the clamp to support the brush over a pail held by the clamp, and a brush wiping element is mounted on the support rod to be positioned within the confines of the clamp. A hook and a saddle element are removably secured to the support rod for engagement with a ladder rung and, when removed from the support rod, enable the support rod to be inserted into the interior of a tubular rung.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 HOLDER FOR A PAINT PAIL AND APPLICATOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An important object of this invention is the provision of a holder for a paint pail and an applicator which will support a paint pail laterally outwardly of one side rail of a ladder for easy access to a worker.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a holder for a paint pail and an applicator which can be used with equal facility with wooden or metal extension ladders and with step-ladders.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a holder for a pail and paint brush having a paint brush wiper element, and a hook for supporting other tools or apparatus.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a holder for a paint pail and a paint brush which will support a paint pail in a substantially level condition under different sloping conditions of a ladder.

To the above ends, I provide a holder for a paint pail and paint brush in the nature of a circular clamp including a pair of opposed clamping members having arcuate intermediate portions, radially outwardly projecting inner mounting end portions, and radially outwardly projecting outer end portions, and a clamping screw connecting the outer end portions. A support rod is connected to the mounting portions and extends radially outwardly from the clamp, the rod being of a transverse dimension to enable it to be inserted longitudinally to the hollow rung of a metal ladder to dispose the clamp outwardly of one side rail of the ladder. A downwardly opening support hook and a saddle are removably mounted on the support rod in longitudinally DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a ladder showing the holder of this invention mounted thereon, the ladder being shown in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a view in rear elevation, some parts being broken away, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in top plan of the clamp and a portion of the support rod of this invention, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional ladder is shown by broken lines, the same being indicated generally at 1 and comprising a pair of side rails 2 and a plurality of generally horizontally disposed rungs 3, one of which is shown. Also shown by broken lines in FIGS. 2 and 3 are a paint pail 4 and a brush 5 including a handle 6. As an example, the paint pail 4 may be assumed to be of the commonly available cylindrical type normally holding a gallon of paint or other liquid.

A circular clamp, indicated generally at 7, comprises a pair of cooperating clamping members 8 having opposed intermediate arcuate portions 9, radially outwardly projecting inner mounting ends 10, and radially outwardly projecting outer end portions 11. The outer end portions 11 are shown as being disposed in spaced apart parallel relationship, and are provided with aligned openings which receive a clamping screw 12 on which is screw-threaded a wing nut 13. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the arcuate portions 9 encircle the paint pail 4 adjacent the open upper end thereof, so that the pail 4 is disposed almost entirely below the level of the clamp 7.

The mounting ends 10 of the clamping members 8' are disposed in face-to-face engagement, as shown in FIG. 3, and are press fitted into one end of an elongated hollow or tubular support rod 14 to dispose the support rod 14 in radially outwardly projecting relationship to the clamp 7. The support rod 14 is of a diameter to enable the same to be inserted axially into a hollow rung of a conventional metallic ladder, whereby to dispose the clamp 7 and the pail 4 carried thereby laterally outwardly of one of the side rails of the ladder. In view of the fact that the pail 4 has the greater part of its bulk disposed below the clamp 7, the pail 4 will gravitate to a generally vertical position without regard to the slope of the ladder 1 relative to the vertical.

For the purpose of mounting the holder on a ladder l which may be of wood and having solid rungs 3, I provide a downwardly opening hook element 15 and a saddle element 16. The hook and saddle elements 15 and 16 are provided with respective generally vertically disposed screw threaded shanks l7 and 18 respectively that are inserted through suitable transverse openings in the support rod 14 so as to dispose the hook and saddle elements 15 and 16 in spaced relationship longitudinally of the support rod 14. It will be noted that the hook element 15 is positioned nearest the clamp 7, the

saddle element 16 being disposed close to the opposite end of the support rod 14 remote from the clamp 7. As shown, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hook 15 is placed over the rung 3 laterally inwardly of the ladder side rail 2, to suspend the support rod 14 therefrom, the saddle 16 underlying and engaging the under surface of the ladder rung 3 closely adjacent the opposite side rail 2 of the ladder 1. The weight of the clamp 8 and at least partially filled paint pail 4 are sufficient to keep the saddle 16 in engagement with the undersurface of the ladder rung 3. The shanks 17 and 18 are provided with stop nuts 19 and wing nuts 20 to releasably lock their respective hook element 15 and saddle element 16 on the support rod 14 to dispose the supportrod 14 in substantially parallel relationship with the ladder rung 3. In view of the fact that the hook element 15 loosely encompasses the ladder rung 3, as does the saddle element 16, the weight of the pail 4 and contents thereof will cause the clamp 7 to swing to and remain in a level or generally horizontal position at varying degrees of slope of the ladder 1. When it is desired to use the present holder with a ladder having tubular rungs, it is a simple matter to unscrew the wing nuts 20 and remove the hook element 15 and saddle element 16 from the support rod 14, so that the same may be inserted freely into a hollow ladder rung.

A paint applicator holder or brush holder comprises a rigid metallic bar 21 having a suitable transverse opening through its lower end so that the bar 21 may be pivotally mounted on the clamping screw 12. Toward its upper end, the bar 21 has mounted thereon a finger element 22 including angularly disposed portions 23 and 24 the former of which is screw threaded through a suitable threaded opening in the bar 21, and the latter of which extends in a generally upward direction parallel to the bar 21. The screw threaded portion 23 is provided with a lock nut in the nature of a wing nut 25. The spacing between the bar 21 and finger portion 24 may be adjusted to receive therebetween a brush handle 6' of various widths, to support the brush within the confines of the clamp 7 and within the upper end portion of the paint pail 4, so that paint may drip from the brush 5 into the pail 4 when the brush is not in use. The bar 21 may be locked in any desired angular relationship to the clamp 7 to accommodate brushes of various lengths.

A tool supporting hook 26 has a screw threaded shank 27 that extends horizontally through the end portion of the support rod 14 near the clamp 7, and through other suitable openings in the mounting ends of the clamp 7, to insure against outward movement of the clamp 7 relative to the mounting rod 14. The hook 26 is held in place by clamping nuts 28 and 29 screw threaded on the shank 27, the nut 28 serving as a clamping nut for a hook portion 30 of a wiping element or bar 31 that is generally horizontally disposed within the confines of the clamp 7 and within the upper end portion of the pail 4. The wiping element 31 is connected to the hook portion 30 by angular connecting portions 32 and 33, and may be swung to a generally vertical position when it is desired to pour paint into the pail 4, or when the pail 4 is placed within or removed from the clamp 7. By wiping the brush on the wiping element 31, the likelihood of paint being spilled on the ground or floor by dripping from the side of the pail-4, is virtually eliminated. The hook 26 is utilized to support other tools, such as paint scrapers, wire brushes and the like.

While I have shown and described a commercial embodiment of my holder for a paint pail and an applicator, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with ladders comprising laterally spaced longitudinal side rails and generally horizontal portions including transverse rungs connecting the side rails, a holder for a paint pail and an applicator comprising:

a. a generally horizontally disposed circular clamp for encompassing engagement with the upper end portion of a pail and including a pair of opposed clamping members having opposed arcuate intermediate portions, mounting end portions, and outer end portions projecting generally radially outwardly from said arcuate portions;

b. support means including a support rod normally disposed in generally parallel ralationship to the rungs of a ladder when mounted on the ladder and having a hollow end portion, said mounting end portions of the clamping member extending axially within said hollow end portion;

0. a tool supporting member having a mounting shank extending transversely through said hollow end portion and said mounting end portions of said clamp;

d. means for releasably locking said tool supporting member on said support rod;

e. mounting means carried by said clamp for supporting a paint applicator above said clamp;

f. and clamping screw means connecting said outer end portions of the clamping members and operative to exert clamping pressure thereon.

2. The holder for a paint pail and an applicator defined in claim 1 in further combination with a paint brush wiper element including a hook portion having hooking engagement with said shank to be supported thereby and to dispose said wiper element substantially in the area defined by said clamp.

3. The holder for a paint pail and an applicator defined in claim 1 in which said mounting means comprises a bar element pivotally mounted on said clamping screw means and adapted to be releasably locked in desired positions of pivotal movement thereof by said clamping screw means, and a finger element on said bar element and having a portion disposed in spaced relation to the bar element and cooperating therewith to engage opposite sides of a paint applicator handle placed between said elements. 

1. For use with ladders comprising laterally spaced longitudinal side rails and generally horizontal portions including transverse rungs connecting the side rails, a holder for a paint pail and an applicator comprising: a. a generally horizontally disposed circular clamp for encompassing engagement with the upper end portion of a pail and including a pair of opposed clamping members having opposed arcuate intermediate portions, mounting end portions, and outer end portions projecting generally radially outwardly from said arcuate portions; b. support means including a support rod normally disposed in generally parallel ralationship to the rungs of a ladder when mounted on the ladder and having a hollow end portion, said mounting end portions of the clamping member extending axially within said hollow end portion; c. a tool supporting member having a mounting shank extending transversely through said hollow end portion and said mounting end portions of said clamp; d. means for releasably locking said tool supporting member on said support rod; e. mounting means carried by said clamp for supporting a paint applicator above said clamp; f. and clamping screw means connecting said outer end portions of the clamping members and operative to exert clamping pressure thereon.
 2. The holder for a paint pail and an applicator defined in claim 1 in further combination with a paint brush wiper element including a hook portion having hooking engagement with said shank to be supported thereby and to dispose said wiper element substantially in the area defined by said clamp.
 3. The holder for a paint pail and an aPplicator defined in claim 1 in which said mounting means comprises a bar element pivotally mounted on said clamping screw means and adapted to be releasably locked in desired positions of pivotal movement thereof by said clamping screw means, and a finger element on said bar element and having a portion disposed in spaced relation to the bar element and cooperating therewith to engage opposite sides of a paint applicator handle placed between said elements. 